


Trust

by John_Doe



Category: Emmerdale, robron
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-13
Updated: 2016-07-03
Packaged: 2018-06-08 02:19:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6835009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/John_Doe/pseuds/John_Doe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just a little angst: Robert has just gotten back from being questioned by DS Wise, after Liv tells him she thinks he killed Gordon (Semi-based on the spoilers)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Nark

Robert storms in through the pub, a face like a thunder, as Chas looks up from collecting money from a patron.  
"Robert." She states, wondering why he looked so angry.  
"Where is he?" Robert asked, trying to control the volume of his voice in the crowded.  
"If you're talking about Aaron, he's in the back" Chas replies, and without another word, Robert stomps through to the back of the pub.

Robert rushes through the door, to the sight of Liv and Aaron on the couch, seemingly watching some TV show. "You set me up?" Robert says, with a hint of hurt in his tone.

Aaron and Liv both look up to where Robert is standing. "Robert." Aaron states, similar to Chas, with a confused look on his face.

"What, I burn one measly letter and now I'm apparently a serial killer to you?" Robert says, stomping over to where Aaron is sitting.

"What are you talking about?" Aaron says, his confusion growing by the second.

"Don't play dumb, I know it was you." Robert's voice raising in volume, "I try to protect you from your own filthy pervert of a father, and what do you do in return: You shop me off the police. Telling them that I had Gordon killed in prison."

Aaron, sensing the situation was about to get heated, tells Liv to go to her room. Scared, Liv as quickly and as quietly as possible, leaves the room, and perches herself at the top of the stairs.

"Robert, what are you own about? I didn't say anything to anyone." Aaron says.

"Oh really? Then tell me why I just got picked up by the police to be questioned about Gordon's death?" Robert replies, "They said they had someone come in telling them that they think that I had Gordon killed."

Aaron stood there quietly, trying to process everything Robert had told him. He looked up at Robert, "Well, what happened?"

Robert exhaled harshly, "Of course I told them that's all a lie."

Aaron looked intensely at Robert, trying to figure out whether he was lying or not. Detecting nothing, he finally asked, "Robert, did you do it?"

Robert exhaled again, a smile of disbelief painted across his face, "Of course I didn't Aaron. I don't just go around killing people for the fun of it."

Robert sat down at the table, "This is unbelievable. You think so low of me, that...that I would go out of my way to pay someone to kill Gordon? That I'm just some psycho axe murderer waiting for my next victim?"

"Well you don't exactly have the best record of telling people the truth, Robert" Aaron retorts, "I mean Gordon just happens to die after you get the only piece of information that would proved he killed himself."

Robert stands up, "You're unbelievable." Robert starts walking towards the exit, as he turns back and says, "I've told you a million times that I burned that letter to save you from him getting back into your head. I've been supportive of you this entire time, and you can't give me the smallest sliver of trust." And with that, Robert storms out, the back door slamming with a thud.

Aaron, looks down, eyes stained with tears, trying to process what just happened. Right then, Chas comes rushing though the back. "What happened? Where's Robert?"

"Did you do it? Shop Robert off to the police about Gordon's death?" Aaron asked.

"Of course not" Chas replied, "We had a hunch, but we had no proof of it."

"Well someone did." Aaron's voice raising in volume. "And if it wasn't you, and it wasn't me, who else could it be?"

Just then, Aaron and Chas can hear someone tripping on their way up the stairs. They both look at each other, shocked as they realize the answer.

 

\-------x-------

Aaron starts heading upstairs, towards Liv's bedroom. He knocks, and then hears a faint "Come in" coming from inside. He opens the door to find Liv, sitting at the side of her bed, staring at the floor. He notices how small she looks, like she expecting to be scolded.  
  
"Liv, I need to ask you something, and I need you to be honest." Aaron asks carefully and as calmly as possible. Liv looks up, "Did you tell the police that Robert had Gordon killed?"  
  
Liv sits there, staring at Aaron's face for a while, before slowing nodding her head. Her eyes stained with tears, back staring at the floor. As she sniffs, "I heard what you, Cain and Chas said about Robert the other day. About it not being the first time Robert has ever killed someone." She looks up at Aaron, the emotion clear in her voice, "I just don't understand how you could  **love** someone like that, how you could  **defend** someone like that."  
  
Aaron sighs, as it considers how to approach this situation. He never wanted his sister to be burden with all the guilt that he was. "It's complicated." Aaron finally says, "Me and Robert have a complicated past."  
  
"No, it's not complicated." The anger clear in Liv's voice, as she once again feels like she's being treated like a child, "He KILLED someone Aaron, and you're protecting him."  
  
"Liv, it's not as simple as that." Aaron says, trying to control the sadness he was feeling from this fight. From all the memories of the day Katie died.  
  
"Alright then, explain it to me." Liv says determinedly, "Explain to me why you would protect, let alone love, someone like him."  
  
Aaron stands there, trying to figure a way to make Liv understand without giving up the details of the situation. "I can't."  
  
"Yeah, that's what I thought." Liv says, as she gets up as storms out of the house, leaving Aaron, frozen where he stood, with tears he tries his hardest to contain.


	2. Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More angst, set the day after the first chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning: This is going to be a very angsty piece and I haven't decided whether I want it to end happily or not. Just thought I'd let you all know. *Faints*

"Mum, have you seen Liv" Aaron asks, rushing downstairs in a panic.

"Not since you and her talked yesterday, why?" Chas says looking up from her toast.

"I haven't seen her all day, and I'm worried something happened to her." Aaron taking a seat on the edge of the couch, his head in his hand. "I mean, what if something happened to her."

Chas walks over to Aaron, "Oh love, I'm sure she's fine. You know how many times you were away for full nights." Chas trying to get her son to smile. Instead, he just sighs and looks down, "Yeah, I guess it's some sort of devine karma. I seriously don't understand how you put up with me sometimes."

"Oh, you weren't too bad." Chas says, waving her hands. This, getting a look of disbelief shot at her by Aaron. "Right, well you weren't perfect, but I love ya. And in the end, I like to think you turned out alright." Aaron drawing a small smile across her face. "I'm going head out for a bit to look for her."

"Well, I've got to look after the bar today, now that Charity has gone awol.....again." Chas says, starting to get up with her son. "I'll call you if I find out anything, alright?"

With a small nod and forced smile from Aaron, Chas was off to the front. This, leaving Aaron stood where he was, thinking about where his sister could have possible been off to.

\-------x-------

Robert had just walked downstairs, groggy with heavy bags under his eyes, as he had gotten little to no sleep last night. Yesterday's events just playing on repeat in his head. As we slowly stalked into the kitchen, he was greeted by a busy Victoria and a cup of coffee waiting for him on the table.

Hearing someone come into the kitchen, Victoria turned around from the sink, greeting her brother with a small smile as he sits down at the end of the table. "Hiya" This eliciting a small nod from Robert.

"How you feeling?" Victoria said carefully, slowly walking towards the table.

"Tired" Robert replied in a low growl, head hung low.

"I never got to ask: How'd it go with the police?" Victoria said, taking a seat at the opposite end of the table.

Robert sighed, not really wanting to have a long conversation about this today, as he was emotionally exhausted from the one with Aaron yesterday. "Fine. They said they're not going to charge me with anything cause there's really no proof other than the anonymous tip."

"Well, that's good." Victoria said, trying to make her brother feel better.

"Tell that to Aaron" Robert murmured.

"What?" Victoria asked.

"Nothing." Robert replied quickly, "You know what, I'm going to head into down for a bit." Robert quickly got up from his seat and headed upstairs to get changed.

Victoria silently sighed, worrying about what was clearly wrong with her brother.

\-------x-------

"One Americano, Bob" Robert said in a low voice, having made his way over to the cafe.

"Coming right up" Bob said eagerly, turning around to start preparing the drink.

As Robert headed towards a vacant seat, Aaron comes quickly barging through the doors, searching the room until immediately locking eyes with Robert. Robert quickly looked away, trying to suppress all his feelings of anger and longing for his boyfriend, as he continued heading towards the seat.

Aaron, swallowing his feelings of sadness, headed straight for the counter, "Bob, have you seen Liv today"

Bob turning around quickly, "Not since yesterday morning, no."

"Cheers" Aaron turning around quickly to catch Robert staring up at him, before Robert quickly averted his gaze back to the paper right in front of him. Aaron, leaned against the counter, as he contemplating what to do next. Desperation and worry finally clawing away at him, he quickly rushes over to take a seat opposite to Robert. "Robert have you seen Liv today."

"No." Robert replies succinctly, not removing his eyes from his paper.  
  
Aaron sighed again, sat there quickly before finally asking, "Robert, can you  _please_ help me look for her?" The desperation clear in his voice.  
  
Robert sits there without moving for a bit, before sighing and putting the paper down. Not being able to refuse Aaron's plea for help, regardless of how angry he is with him, Robert agrees and both boys quickly leave the cafe, just as Bob comes by to drop-off Robert's Americano.  
  
\-------x-------  
  
"I just don't know where else she could be." Aaron says sadly, as he is in full panic mode. They had searched the entire village, every possible place they thought Liv could've run off to, the last being the pitch nearby. "She'll be fine." Robert replies calmly.  
  
"How do you KNOW she'll be fine, Robert?" The anger very clear in Aaron's voice, "Do you even WANT to find her?"  
  
"Of course I do" Robert getting irritated by the constant distrust he was getting, "Why else would I be out her looking with you?"  
  
"I don't know, maybe you got rid of her too." Aaron murmured to himself, hoping Robert wouldn't hear him.  
  
"Here we go again." Robert says, rolling his eyes, "I flipping come out here to help you look for your brat of a sister and it's still not good enough for you."  
  
"Yeah, well if it wasn't for you, she wouldn't be out here in the first place." Aaron retorted.  
  
"Oh really, and how d'you figure that?" Robert says, stopping dead in his tracks.  
  
"If I didn't have keep all these secrets because of you, none of this would have happened." Aaron replies, venom in his words.  
  
"You mean Katie," Robert huffs, "You can say it Aaron. If I hadn't killed Katie, your life wouldn't be complete chaos. Because everything has to be old Robert's fault. Nothing can ever be yours."  
  
Aaron opens his mouth to respond, but Robert cuts him off, "Let alone, me trying to be a better person for you."

"Sorry I'm not giving you a flipping award for being a decent human being Robert. Especially after all the shit you've put me through before." Aaron patience being thoroughly tested. "All you've done is lie and manipulate me the entire time we've known each other."  
  
"Right, and that's what I was doing to you through all of this shit with Gordon." Aaron looks down in shame, not having a response to that. "Lie and manipulate through all that did I?"  
  
The boys stood there in silence for a bit, calming themselves down, "You're never going to trust me, are you?" Robert said, the hurt clear in his voice.  
  
Aaron looked up into his eyes, the tears staining his as clear as the ones being held in his own. Just as he was about to open his mouth to respond, his phone rang. "Hey mum" Aaron says, trying to hide the emotion in his voice.  
  
"You what? She's there at home." Aaron says in disbelief, looking away from Robert. "Did she say where she was? Right. Right. I'm on my way." Aaron hung up the phone, looking back at Robert. "Take it Liv is back at home." Aaron opens his mouth slightly, before closing it again and nodding a bit. Robert started to walk away, leaving Aaron stood where he was. And as he stood there, Aaron realized he had no words to make this situation any better. To make Robert feel any better. Because at the end of the day, he realized he truly didn't trust Robert wholeheartedly. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, grammar, spelling as well as thoughts, ideas and improvements would be greatly appreciated in the comments.


	3. Believe Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edit: I accidentally posted without finishing the chapter, woops.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's taken me so long to write something (probably so long you've forgotten what's happened), but I finally thought of some stuff that I thought was good enough. Let me know what you think and also about any spelling and grammar I need to fix in the comments.
> 
> (I made it a long, so hopefully that makes up for it)

"Where the hell have you been?" Aaron says, storming into the back room. Liv was sitting at the table, head hung low. "Well?"

Chas gives Aaron a stern look, as if to stop him from yelling anymore. She slowly walks up and quietly speaks to him, "Don't have a go. Just talk to her, alright love?" Aaron looks away from Liv for a second to make eye contact with his mum. Realizing she was right, he gives her a small nod in acknowledgement. "Right, I'll leave you two to it." Chas says loudly enough for the two to hear. She places a comforting hand on Aaron's shoulder, as she walks out to the front, mug in hand.

Aaron's back at looking at Liv, this time with softer eyes. He sees how defeated and upset she looks. Yelling at her won't solve anything - it never worked on him. He quietly takes a seat right in front of her. "Liv, where have you been? I've been worried sick" the concern evident in his voice.

"Just needed to get out of the house and get my head straight, that's all." Liv finally replies, not taking her eyes off the floor. Aaron nods and puts on a small smile, realizing that was probably something he would do if he was in Liv's situation. "I didn't mean to worry you. Sorry." Liv says, finally looking up at her brother. There are tears clear in her eyes, and she sniffling every couple of seconds.

Aaron nods again, acknowledging that she truly was sorry, but not knowing what else to say. After a couple more minutes of silence, Liv finally speaks, "What is it about him?"

"Who?" Aaron replies. "Robert." Liv says, her voice holding no malice, only confusion. "What makes him so special that you would cover for him like that?"

Aaron looks away, not knowing what to say. "He's just Robert." Aaron finally looking back at Liv. "Look, Liv, I know you don't understand it, but I need you to trust me on this. Robert, yeah he's made a lot of mistakes, but so have I? He's changed so much for me, he's tried so hard to be a better person for me. I mean, I don't know if I would've made it through Gordon's trial if it wasn't for him." Liv looks down at the mention of his name, a mix of emotion swirling inside of her. "And you have to believe me when I say, the person he hurt, it was an accident. An accident by a different Robert. Not the same one that teases you all the time." Aaron says, Liv allowing a small smile making him smile. "The one that helps you with your homework when he can. The one that makes me safe and loved."

Liv finally looks up and nods slightly, her face relaxing a bit, "I do. I do trust you." Liv says. Aaron smiles, knowing he's fixed one problem.

 

Just then, Chas knocks and walks into the back room, DS Wise in tow. Aaron and Liv both look towards her. "DS Wise wanted to speak to you both." Jason nods at them both. 

"It's about Gordon, I'm afraid." DS Wise looking carefully at the both them, trying to gauge their comfortability with the topic. Aaron tenses up a bit at the mention of his name, while Liv looks on, open eyed and waiting.

"We've determined his cause of death." Jason pauses, "He committed suicide."

"How'd he do it then?" Liv still sniffling, scared of what his answer will be.  
  
DS Wise looks uncomfortable answering the question but finally relents, "The video footage showed he hung himself in his cell." 

They both sit there in silence. Liv not knowing what to say after hearing that, and Aaron hadn't registered anything else after hearing he had topped himself. Finally, Liv runs out of the room and upstairs, slamming a door. Aaron hasn't moved. "Thank you Jason" Chas says, in a half sigh, as she leads DS Wise out the door.

She comes back in a couple minutes later, seeing Aaron still unmoved, "You alright love?" Chas says, as Aaron continues to stare into blank space, mouth slightly ajar. Finally, he comes back to reality, "I don't know how I feel. I'm just worried about Liv."

Before Chas or Aaron can say anything else, they both hear the back door open and close and in walks in Robert. His eyes clearly red from crying, he looks between the two, seeing the broken look on Aaron's face, but not being able to bring himself to comfort him. "I've just come by to pick up a couple of my things." Robert says, looking anywhere but at the two of them. He quickly makes a beeline for Aaron's bedroom.   
  
"Robert wait" Aaron finally says, quickly getting out of his chair and heading upstairs. He finally gets upstairs, to see his bedroom door open. As he walks in, he sees Robert filling a dufflebag full of the things he's left over in Aaron's room. Aaron quietly closes the door behind before finally speaking, "DS Wise came by." Aaron says. Robert makes no acknowledgement about whether he heard him or not, but Aaron's pretty sure he has. "Says nobody killed him. Said he killed himself." Aaron's holding back tears, the sadness clear in his voice.

"I don't know why you think I would be surprised" Robert finally responds, still continuing to collect his belongings, "I knew that all along. It's you who didn't believe me."

Aaron sits on the bed, beside Robert's dufflebag. "Robert, I'm sorry." he says, defeated. "I should've never doubted ya." 

"But you did." Robert finally stopping, the disappointment clear in his voice. "You believed your sister over me. And don't tell me it wasn't her, I know it was."  
  
Aaron opens his mouth to tell Robert it wasn't her, but he knows it would only make things worse. He'd never believe it. "I only found out after you told me you got arrested."  
  
Robert huffing, before he continued to pack his things. Aaron grabs his hands, "Robert, wait, you don't have to go."   
  
"Yes, I do." Robert says, shaking his hands free of Aaron's, "I can't live here with Liv taking every opportunity to make my life a living hell." Robert says, packing up his final things. Robert closes up the bag, "Look, Aaron, I'm not comfortable living here with Liv. I just know that every time I see her face, I'm just going to think about what she did, and it's going to blow up in my face one day. And I don't want that." Robert says, making eye contact with Aaron for the first time in this entire conversation. "I also know I could never make you pick between her and me, because let's face it, I'm second best. I've always been second best to everyone else, so why would it be different now?" Robert's biting back his tears. "Robert, it's not..." Aaron starts, before being interrupted by Robert, "Goodbye, Aaron." Robert heads out of the room, and down the stairs. "Robert wait" Aaron says, following all the way to the top of the stairs, before hearing the back door slam. He knows following him at this point would be pointless, so he heads back into his room, closes his door, falls on to his bed, and starts crying into his pillow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You thought you were getting a break from all the angst? No no, my friend. I've just begun.

**Author's Note:**

> See, I know how I want to start and I know how I want to end, it's just getting there that's the problem. I will hopefully update this more often then my first fic. Bare with me.
> 
> P.S: Let me know about grammar and spelling mistakes. I actually want to know so I can fix them. xxx


End file.
